Flu deaths in California hit all-time high

Wednesday

Mar 19, 2014 at 5:30 PM

By Jack BarnwellCITY EDITORjbarnwell@ridgecrestca.com

Kern County reported one more death related to influenza on Tuesday, bringing the death total to 21.This is the first report in the county since late February.Little else has changed in the county in terms of flu cases. The number of those testing positive for Type A flu remains at 89, up from 88 as reported on March 4. Of those cases, 39 have been confirmed as H1N1, which has been the prevailing strain of the 2013-2014 season.Kern flu-related deaths are drop in the bucket compared to those at the state level.The California Department of Public Health on Friday released its own numbers, revealing a staggering 332 deaths, seven of which are pediatric. An additional 19 deaths are under investigation "but not yet confirmed."CDPH reported that the most deaths occurred in Los Angeles County, which had 54 deaths, followed by San Diego County, which stands at 30. Sacramento County had 27 flu-related deaths, San Bernardino County reported 23, and Fresno County 22 deaths.The number so far recorded in the 2013-2014 season outstrips those reported last year, according to the CDPH."By this time last year, CDPH had received reports of 47 influenza fatalities in persons under 65 years of age. In the entire 2012-13 flu season 106 deaths were reported," the department said in a news release.The CDPH said it will continue to monitor the situation and that "influenza vaccine remains available and there is no widespread shortage of anti-virals for treatment."